Coffee, although loved around the world, is known to have an unethical industry. This is because the cost of producing a single coffee bean is higher than the selling price.
Jonathan Robinson, founder of Bean There, a Direct Fair Trade coffee company in Johannesburg, says his journey in the coffee business started in Ethiopia. At the time, they had no idea that the country would offer one of the best coffee experiences.
They currently import two percent of their high-quality coffee from small-scale farms in Africa, including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Burundi, DRC and Rwanda.
“When you run a business, you try to make the most profit. Often, you do it at the expense of the planet and people,” said Robinson.
This has been proven even in the coffee industry.
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Why is coffee trading unethical?
According to an article from Silver Chef, what makes the coffee trade unethical is that many of the trades are controlled by MNCs (Multinational Corporations) which must be connected to the farmers’ reality.
While coffee businesses can make good profits from good coffee, farmers usually suffer losses. The situation has caused developing countries to suffer the most. According to a report conducted in 2017 by SCIP (The Strategic Climate Institutions Programme), more than 15 million people in Ethiopia depend on the coffee industry for income.
The system takes advantage of families desperate for even the smallest income to make ends meet and Fair Trade certification comes into the picture to try to solve this problem that affects more than just the coffee industry.
Robinson said: “Fair Trade has been put in place to ensure that even if the market fluctuates, if you are committed to Fair Trade, you will pay more than the minimum price set by international bodies.”
One of the problems with Fair Trade is that the certification side is quite expensive, which can deter people from participating.
“It’s a bit of a double-edged sword because what makes Fair Trade strong is that it’s certified,” said Robinson.
The problem with most green labels
“The problem with most of these green labels is that we don’t know who’s checking them. If someone says their product is vegan or their coffee is Fair Trade, how do we know that person isn’t just talking or referring to a small part of the business that fits the label ?
“The problem in the world today is a lot of greenwashing.”
Ethiopia is the largest exporter of coffee on the African continent. They also consume 50% of the coffee, which means they drink half of the production.
Some believe that this drink was enjoyed in Ethiopia long before coffee was grown and enjoyed in other regions, such as Brazil and Italy.
Robinson describes the well-known Ethiopian coffee ceremony, saying: “In every small village in Ethiopia, there are only hundreds of small coffee shops where people sit on small benches roasting, some grinding, others pouring.”
– zahidm@citizen.co.za
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